Research Report DFE-RR179
      Systematic review of 
      Solution Focused Brief 
      Therapy (SFBT) with 
      children and families 
                 Kevin Woods, Caroline Bond, Neil Humphrey, Wendy 
                 Symes 
                 School of Education, University of Manchester 
                 Lorraine Green 
                 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University 
                 of Manchester 
                  
                            
                            
          The views expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily 
                reflect those of the Department for Education. 
                     Acknowledgements  
      
     The review team is most grateful for research assistance from Paul Armstrong, Irene Kapetanaki, 
     and Ismail Mamaniat. 
      
     The review team extends sincere thanks to members of the Review Advisory Group who provided 
     invaluable commentary upon the review coding framework, initial findings, and early drafts of this 
     report.  
      
     Review Advisory Group 
      
     Mawuli Amesu, Solution focused brief therapy consultant/ qualified social worker. 
      
     Colin Green, Director of Children’s Services, Coventry City Council. 
      
     David Jones, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford. 
      
     Paul Sambrooks, Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)/ qualified 
     social worker 
      
     Janet Shucksmith, Professor in Public Health, University of Teesside.  
      
      
     The review team is also most grateful to the following people who were able to offer additional 
     advisory input and comment: 
      
     Dominic Bray, Chair UK Association of Solution Focused Practice, Clinical Health Psychologist. 
      
     Isabella Craig, Department for Education. 
      
     Jenny Gray, Department for Education. 
      
     Eileen Murphey, SFBT Consultant. 
      
     Greg Vinnicombe, SFBT Consultant.  
      
     Julie Wilkinson, Department for Education. 
      
       
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
      
      
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                                                          Contents 
              
             Chapter                                                                                   Page 
              Executive summary                                                                          5 
             1 Introduction                                                                              14 
             1.1          Background to the review                                                       14 
             1.2          Solution focused brief therapy in practice                                     15 
             1.3          Issues in the evaluation of solution focused brief therapy                     17 
             1.4          Safeguarding children legislation and policy                                   19 
             1.5          Objectives of the review                                                       22 
             2 Review methodology                                                                        23 
             2.1          Overview of the review methodology                                             23 
             2.2          Review stage 1: literature searching                                           24 
             2.3          Review stage 2: reference harvesting                                           25 
             2.4          Review stage 3: applications of inclusion criteria                             26 
             2.5          Review stage 4: development of coding framework                                27 
             2.6          Review stage 5: using the coding framework                                     30 
             2.7          Review stage 6: presentation and description of review findings                30 
             3 Findings                                                                                  31 
             3.1          Overview of the quality, appropriateness and relevance of the review           31 
                          studies 
                  3.1.1  Quality of review studies                                                       31 
                  3.1.2  Methodological appropriateness of review studies                                31 
                  3.1.3  Focus of review studies                                                         32 
             3.2          Best evidence on the effectiveness of SFBT                                     33 
             3.3          Studies focusing upon child protection and children in need                    38 
             3.4          Cost effectiveness of SFBT                                                     41 
             4 Discussion and implications                                                               43 
             4.1 Introduction                                                                            43 
             4.2          What is the evidence for the effectiveness of SFBT in relation to              43 
                          work with children and families? For what types of child and family 
                          problems is SFBT found to be most effective? 
             4.3          What are the cost-benefits of SFBT in relation to work with children           47 
                          and families? 
             4.4          What are the implications of the findings for the use of SFBT within           47 
                          the English context where children are considered to be suffering or 
                          likely to suffer significant harm? 
             4.5          What are the implications of these findings for local safeguarding             52 
                          children boards (LSCBs) and for the training, supervision and 
                          management of staff in particular those working in local authority 
                          children's social care services? 
                          References 56
                          Appendices 60
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